Republican Mark Sanford talks to supporters after winning a special election to Congress in South Carolina on May 7. / Rainier Ehrhardt, AP

Written by

Catalina Camia

USA TODAY

Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford said Wednesday he's moving on and is reading to work with his fellow Republicans who didn't support his political comeback bid.

"Yesterday is yesterday and today is today, and I look forward to working with them," Sanford said in an interview on CBS' This Morning program.

Sanford defeated Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch in a special election for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday night by about 9 percentage points. Colbert Busch, a businesswoman and sister of comedian Stephen Colbert, kept the race competitive despite the Republican tilt of the district.

Sanford was seeking political redemption after an extramarital affair in 2010 ended his marriage and once-promising political career. He won without the financial support of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which elects Republicans to Congress.

It was only toward the end of the race that Sanford was endorsed by top Republicans such as Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and both of South Carolina's GOP senators, Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott.

While Sanford did not make mention of the House GOP campaign committee, his former chief of staff could not resist getting in a dig after the race was called. "Sorry, NRCC. We won anyway," tweeted state Sen. Tom Davis, R-S.C.

In the CBS interview, Sanford said South Carolina's voters did not make a judgment that character counts less than policy positions. He tied Colbert Busch to unions and liberals such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., even as his personal life once again grabbed headlines.

Character and policy are "equally important," he said. "I think we have a tradition in the South, in South Carolina, of foregiveness." Sanford recalled meeting a voter who said to him, "I'm not going to judge you based on your worst day any more than I'll judge you on your best day. I'm going to look at the totality of your 20 years in politics ... and I'm going to make my judgment accordingly."

Sanford posted a note to his supporters Wednesday on his campaign website offering his "profound thanks" for getting him elected, despite being outspent by Colbert Busch and her Democratic allies.

Sanford's personal life will be on public view once again Thursday. He is set to appear in Charleston County Family Court to respond to his ex-wife's complaint that he was trespassing at her home in violation of their divorce agreement. Cameras will be allowed in the courtroom.